[1]
DOMESDAY BOOK [1].
KING Alfred, about the year 900, composed a book of this nature, which was extant at Winchester at the coming-in of the Conqueror, but is since lost; but the incomparable record of Domesday, now remaining at the Chapter-house at Westminster, and lately printed, was begun by order of William the Conqueror, with the advice of his parliament, in the year of our Lord[2] 1080, and compleated in the year[3] 1086; Commissioners[4] were sent into every county, and juries[5] summoned and impannelled in each hundred out of all orders of freemen, from barons down to the lowest farmers, to give in upon oath to the commissioners, by verdict or presentment, due information, for the faithful and impartial[6] execution of it.
These inquisitions being taken, they were sent up to Winchester[7], and the substance of them was
